Ending inequality starts with me...

Earlier today, I saw two young men throwing away a big bag of running shoes. I almost asked for the shoes so I could take them to church or charity but I got self-conscious and walked past. I did notice that all the shoes looked fairly new.

A few hours later while working on my computer in a café, I looked up and through the window, I saw a petite woman – probably Romanian in her early forties walking with an obvious limp while carrying a heavy bag on her back and wearing a thin sweater, which I know did not do much to keep her warm.

However, what made me notice her were the shoes she had on. She was wearing men’s running shoes, black and lime green in colour with a white heel. The shoes were too big for her petite frame. She stopped to tighten the laces but when that didn’t work, she pulled a wad of tissue from her bag and stuffed each shoe. I think the trick worked because when she resumed walking, the bounce was not as obvious as before. There’s something terribly wrong about noticing inequality and not doing anything about it. I saw someone wearing shoes three times her size and I just watched. Of course, I reasoned, I have become an expert at explaining my non-involvement or interference. Often times, my reasoning makes sense but as was the case today, it never makes me feel less guilty and hypocritical.

I am just as guilty of perpetuating #inequality as anyone who looks away or refuses to act when faced with it. I am as guilty as those two young men I saw trashing twenty pairs of good shoes.

This evening, I am confronted with tough questions like “why did I see people throwing away what others so desperately need? Why didn’t I ask for those shoes? What is my role? Why do I make it about me and not simply helping or empowering someone? How many times will I keep looking away? Why do I even look away?” The very fact that I notice inequality means I am aware of it but why the resistance to act? Why am I so comfortable with the status quo? Selfishness is a crippling disease.

I think it is time to wake up and be each other’s keeper. Often times we feel entitled because we have a little more (more money, more education, more things, more opportunities, more security) than others. 

We are all special and those of us that have a little more need to learn to exercise the simple concept we learnt in nursery school known as “sharing is caring”. In the end, nothing can replace the gift of doing life with one another. I believe what I saw today is a call to wake up, to be available, to care so much that helping and being involved will become a good habit.

Written by

Misozi Precious Happy Tembo